Blog Tour Sign Up: Last Diner Standing by Terri L …
Terri will be on tour in September with her mystery novel Last Diner Standing. I am looking for book bloggers to post reviews for this…
On Tour: Crisis of Identity by Denise Moncrief
Denise will be on tour July 15-August 5 with her novel Crisis of Identity Tess Copeland is an operator. Her motto? Necessity is the mother…
Book Review: Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny …
I received a copy of Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
A sweet and satisfying novel of how delicious it is to discover your dream
Issy Randall can bake. No, Issy can create stunning, mouthwateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe’s bakery, she has undoubtedly inherited his talent. She’s much better at baking than she is a filing so when she’s laid off from her desk job, Issy decides to open her own little café. But she soon learns that her piece-of-cake plan will take all of her courage and confectionary talent to avert disaster.
Funny and sharp, Meet Me at the Cupcake Café is about how life might not always taste like you expect, but there’s always room for dessert!
Review:
I liked a lot of things right off the bat about this book – the title, the cover, and the sweet tagline. I thought this book would be right up my alley, but it seems to have missed the mark for me. I think there were too many POV’s for my liking. It seems everyone got a chance to chime in, and the story would have been easier to follow if only one or two characters got the lead. I did really enjoy the storyline between Issy and her grandfather, and the sections with Issy and her on and off again boyfriend were interesting to read about. While this wasn’t a favorite novel of mine, I didn’t highly dislike and wouldn’t not recommend for reading. It’s still a cute chick lit book, I just had trouble connecting with the story.
3 stars
Blog Tour Sign Up: Secrets of a Spiritual Guru by …
“If Bridget Jones and some super-famous-and-crazy-enlightened yogi had a baby, it would be SECRETS OF A SPIRITUAL GURU. Achingly funny and impossibly wise, GURU gives chick lit fans a brand new, hilarious, adorably bumbling heroine to love. Anyone who’s ever tried to buck up and find balance will be a little bit freaked out because I’m pretty sure Tamara is spying on us all.”
Jenna McCarthy, author of If It Was Easy They’d Call the Whole Damn Thing a Honeymoon: Living with and Loving the TV-Addicted, Sex-Obsessed, Not-so-handy Man You Married (www.jennamccarthy.com)
Future Tour: Front Page Fatality by LynDee Walker
LynDee will be on tour July 22-August 5 with her mystery novel Front Page Fatality Crime reporter Nichelle Clarke’s days can flip from macabre to…
On Tour: Tales From the Laundry Pile by Kathleen Kole
Kathleen will be on tour July 8-29 with her novel Tales From the Laundry Pile Claire Jamieson has moved back home to Boxwood Hills… And,…
CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Somewhere Between Black and White …
Shelly Hickman is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Somewhere Between Black and White
Summary:
Romance, humor, family drama, with a touch of Buddhism. Sound interesting?
When approaching life’s problems, Sophie sees in black and white. That is, when they’re someone else’s problems. So when it comes to her sister, Sophie is sure she has all the answers, and offers them without hesitation. If only her sister would listen.
Then, through a series of chance encounters, she meets Sam, who is witty, kind, and downright unflappable. Sophie has the overwhelming sense that she’s known him before, and as a relationship builds between them, odd visions invade her mind. Though she tries to dismiss them, their persistence will not allow it.
As someone who is quick to judge others, she is intrigued by Sam’s ability to accept people as they are. She begins to see him as a role model, but try as she may, his accepting nature is difficult to emulate.
Will Sophie ever be able to put her hasty judgments aside and realize not every problem has a simple solution?
Review:
I found this to be a very enjoyable read. I liked the romance between Sophie and Sam, and the soul mate angle was interesting to think about. The plot line for Evie and her husband Christian was pretty intense. Sometimes I was more excited to read about their story because there was a lot going on there, a lot of depth, and I was curious to see how they would end up. I wasn’t too sure about the flashbacks that happen in the story; I think they could have either been cut out or there should have been more placed throughout the book. Overall I thought it was a well-written book that was paced well, and I liked the message that was delivered to readers.
4 stars
On Tour: Untimed by Andy Gavin
Andy will be on tour July 8-22 with his novel Untimed Charlie’s the kind of boy that no one notices. Hell, his own mother can’t…
Book Review: Redesigning Rose by Lydia Laceby
I am excited to share my review today for Redesigning Rose by Lydia Laceby! I befriended Lydia initially through her book blog, Novel Escapes, and was so honored when she asked me to work on the editing for her manuscript. That manuscript has now turned into the wonderful Redesigning Rose, and let’s dive right into my review!
Summary:
Rose Parker’s husband has been lying. About everything.
When a conversation with her husband triggers questions, Rose Parker uncovers alarming answers that shatter her perfect life. But it is only when she shoves her belongings in her SUV and drives off that Rose realizes just how far from perfect her life actually was. She has nowhere to turn.
While debating between distressing sleeping arrangements–her mother’s house full of questions or a hotel room with too much solitude–Rose bumps into an acquaintance from her gardening class and allows bubbly, exuberant Becky to indulge her in a wild night full of whiskey, weeping, and whispered confidences. Suddenly, Rose has a new friend, a roof over her head, and two gorgeous men moving her out of her marital home.
As Rose struggles to settle into her new life, she remains determined to comprehend her past. And with time and distance and especially wine, comes knowledge. Frank wasn’t the only one lying to her. Rose was lying to herself.
Review:
I love that we start off right away knowing that Rose’s husband is an awful man. I think the story started off on the right foot; we are immediately in the action and backing Rose one hundred percent. Rose’s character is very well-written, a woman with flaws yet determined to move on with her life, yet she can’t resist meeting up with her soon to be ex-husband a few times. It would have been hard to believe if she just cut him out cold turkey, so even though I was screaming “don’t do it!” I knew she had to. I like the love interest in this story because it’s not easy. It’s messy and complicated but really fun to read about. The supporting cast is great fun as well, especially wild Becky (who gets a serious storyline that really added depth to the book) and Rose’s supportive mother. I highly recommend this wonderful debut novel!
5 stars
